Vehicle top-bow clamp.



J. P. MCGINNIS. VEHICLE TOP BOW CLAMP.

APPucATeoN FILED sans, 1914.

Patented June 29, 1915.

eras naar un.

"l'l'lS P. MOGINNIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 01's" ONE-. A i.;

ramasse.

CHARLES W. WHELPLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

vnnrcLE 'rer-Bow QLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pafgmi-,Qd Jun@ 29, 19159 Substitute for application Serial ivo. 86,704, led March 27, 1 912.l This application filed September 8,

191e. Serial No. 860,529.

l z To all 'whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. McGinnis, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State. of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement' in Vehicle Top-Bow Clamps, of which -the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is Aa specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. v y

This invention relates to adjustable clamps intended to hold the bows of a vehicle top when the top is in its folded position.

Folding vehicle tops such as are now generally used on automobiles and like vehicles comprise a plurality of bows which are arranged to spread the top, which bows are folded at the sides and rear of the vehicle when thel top is lowered and not in use. When the top issoA foldedit is'necessary to apply to the bows upon each side of the vehicle, clamps which will effectually secure the bows in their lowered or folded position and which will also hold them rigidly to the Vehicle itself. `While in this folded position a slip-cover may be readily applied to the top, which envelops both top and bows to preserve the same, to keep out dust, and to `give a neat appearance to the vehicle.

The object of my linvention is to provide an improved bow clamp which will be easily attachable and detachable, both to the vehicle and to the bows, which will be capable of quick adjustment to clamp the bows tightly'and stay locked automatically in the position to which it is adjusted, and which may be quickly released and detached.

An important feature of my invention is that itAmay be utilized as an additional holder for the slip-cover, and that it may, when detached from the bows, be removed with the slip-cover, its light and simple construction and compact form rendering the same possible.

Preferably my invention comprises a lower clamp which supports and engages the lowest bow of the top and has an upwardly extending member, and a clamp which engages the upper bow of the top,

which has a downwardly extending portion carrying an eccentric bearing arranged adjacent to the upper end of said member,

which member also carries an eccentric bear- ,r ing, in combination with means to actuate tion, and on the release of such locking de,`

vice the normal resiliency of the bows and the top carried by them will restore the eccentrics to unclamped position.

Referring tothe drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the 'invention is illustrated, Figure l is a general view of the clamp applied to a plurality of bows, which bows are in their folded position, only small portions thereof being'shown; Fig. 2 is a View, partially in cross section, of the clamp and bows as seen in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a detail of the clamping washers used.-

A short stud is usually aiiiXed to each side of a vehicle on which a bow clamp may be secured. Such a stud is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A rest or support 1 is adapted to it on the side stud of a vehicle, and may be secured thereto in any desired position by, a set screw 2. This support is arranged in U form, of proper size to hold the lowermost bow 8 of the top when said top is folded, and one of the U arms is extended and provided with a button-hole aperture fl.

A bolt 5 having a collar 6, is secured to a member 7, which bolt is of suitable diameter to pass through thelarger portion of the button-hole opening 4; and to have its shank fit the shoulder of the smaller diameter in said opening, as illustrated in-Fig. 1.

The upper portion of the member 7 carries an eccentric bearing 8 having ratchet teeth as indicated at 9 of slightly larger diameter than the bearing and overlapping themember 7 slightly, as shown'in Fig. 2. A detent 10 is pivoted at 11 to the member 2, and a spring 12 is provided on said member 7 to engage the detent 10 and normally hold its inner end 'lin engagement with the teeth of the eccentric 8. An upper. clamping member 14 which engages the top bow 15 carriesin its lower portion an eccentric bearing 16, these two members 7 and 14 being of appropriate length to provide a slightly soy greater span than the normal distance bewhen the top is lowered and said bcws areintheir folded position. rlhe eccentric" bearings 8 and 1G are adapted to receive a spindle 17 which is square in cross section, and .which spindle serves to hold the clamping members 14: and 7 together. The spindle 17 is extended beyond the eccentric bearing erly assembled.

8 suiiciently'to support Ia lever 18 and to carry a ratchet wheel 19 arranged on the outside o f the lever 18 and rigid-withl thel spindle@ I Suitable washers 20 and 21 are provided,

as shown, and the spindle 17 is bored to receive aheaded bolt 22 which passes through the washers 20 and 21, receivingv a nut 23, which bolt retains the washers in their respective positions and consequently holds the clamping members and the lever 18 propallow the washers and the bolt 22 to turn with the spindle4 17 during manipulation thereof without danger of p loosening the nut 23.

4 A pawl 24 is pivoted at .25 to the lever18,

and 'a spring 26' is arranged to hold the end .l of the pawl in engagement with the teeth the.eccentrics to the right as shown in lFig.

1, such movement being retained by the action of the detent l0 on the teeth 9,0f the eccentric 8. The movement of both eccentrics provides a very quick and powerfuladjusting device which exerts the desired tension upon the lower and topmost bows.,

holding them firmly and Ibeing automatically locked in the position to which the clamp is adjusted. By releasing the detent l0y from its engagement with the teeth of the eccentric 8, the clamp may be readily expanded, as the .eccentrics are easily returned to their position vaffording the greatest span to the clamp. This action is also assisted by the natural expansive tendency of the bows and the folded top.

lt is frequently desirable to detach the entire clamping member from the vehicle, which "can easily be done by loosening the set sfi'eiv 2 and removing the device from the supporting stud. However, it is ordinarily desirable to remove only the upper part of the clamp, as the lower support o1" rest 1 is not in the way when the top is up.

These washers 2O and 21" have suitable squared recesses, as illustrated 1n Fig. 3, to fit the ends of the spindle 17 to ratchet teeth thereon, a second Thereforel have provided a quick detachable means throughl -the'engagement with said lower member l-of the bolt 5 which is' fixed to the -member 7 When the clamping tension has been released, the member may be swung to the right relatively with the member 1 and the bolt 5 slipped out of the larger portion..of.the opening' 4. If a slip-cover is put over the top, 4it may be. provided with means to engage the-buttons 27 and 28, and the entire clamping'device up with said cover.,

It will 'thus be seen that l have provided a very powerful and compact clamp of especial value when applied to holding the bows of vehicle tops in their folded position, such clamp being of very simple construction,

economical to manufacturapowerful in opv-` eration, and easily attachable and detachable. 'It may also be of such light weight as to be left in engagement with the slip-cover y'and removed with it, which is a very appreciable advantage in this style of clamps:

l-Iavingdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bow clamp for vehicle-tops, comprising a rest for the lower bow, a member detachably secured vthereto and having an eccentric bearing in its upper portion, a second member adapted to engage the top bow and having an eccentric bearing in its lower portion, a spindle passing through thevbear-y ings of each eccentric, and means to actuate both said eccentrics to, shorten the clanfp.

2. A bow clamp for vehicle-tops, comprising a rest for the lower bow, a member detachably secured thereto and having an eccentric bearing in its upper portion, a second member adapted to engage the top bow and having an eccentric bearing in its lower portion, a spindle passing through each eccentric, having means to retain said members in theirassembled position, and means to actuate said spindle to impart a rotative movement to both eccentrics whereby the clamp is shortened. V

3. yA bow clamp for vehicle-tops, comprising a rest for the lower bow, amember detachably secured thereto and having an ec centric bearing in lits upperfportion with member to engage the topbow and having an 4eccentric bearing in its lower portion, ,a squared spindle passing through both eccentrics, a lever to actu ate the spindle, a detent to engage the teeth of the eccentric .in said rst `mentioned member and being pivotally 'secured tosaid member, whereby said detent will l hold automatically, both the eccentrics in the position to which they are moved by the actuation of the lever.

' Copies of thin patent may be obtained for 4. A bow clamp' for vehicle tops, comprisi spindle, seid washers being constructed and arranged to hold the eccentrics in their' assembled position on the spindle.

In testimony whereof7 'I have signed my' 1 5 neme to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. MCGINNIS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. WELPLEY, JAMES R. HOUDER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

warmen, D. G. 

